GOOD news from Northern Ireland (12–19 Feb)

Major expansions, new housing developments, scientific breakthroughs and another sporting great is immortalised in sculpture. A round–up of some GOOD news from home.

200,000 sq ft expansion for Ballymena business

Ballymena bus–makers Wrightbus revealed major expansion plans this week. The company, best known for manufacturing London’s double–decker buses wants to build a new 200,000 sq ft factory, a car park with a capacity of 600 and 75 new homes on land close to the Galgorm complex.

New housing developments announced in Belfast

Five significant house building announcements were made this week. Hagan Homes announced plans for a new £4.5m development consisting of 35
new homes in Dunmurry. Meanwhile, Kirk Bryson & Co Ltd revealed major plans for three sites across Belfast. These include a 53–home development on the Upper Newtownards Road called Rose Park, Parklands – a 104 apartment development in Knocknagoney and another 19–home development in north Belfast.

QUB in superbug breakthrough

Researchers at Queens University in Belfast have made an important breakthrough in the fight against a potentially fatal superbug called klebsiella pneumonia. Research led by QUB’s Director of Experimental medicine,
professor Jose Bengoechea uncovered reasons why the superbug is resistant to last–line anti–biotic meaning that effective new treatments could now be developed to fight the disease.

80 new jobs in north–west

80 new full and part time jobs are expected to be created when DIY and home improvement company, The Range opens a new store in Londonderry. It will be located at the Faustina Retail Park and will be the second The Range store to operate in Northern Ireland following the opening of it’s first outlet in Ballymena in 2016.

‘It will give the birds somewhere to sit’

A statue of Northern Ireland sporting great, Sir Anthony ‘AP’
McCoy, will be unveiled on Champion’s Day at the 2017 Cheltenham Horse Racing Festival.
The statue of the 20–time Champion jump jockey was created by Dublin sculptor,
Paul Ferriter and will be located on the Best Mate Plaza by the north entrance to the racecourse.

Commenting on the news, Sir Anthony said:“I thought most people got a statue when they were dead! I guess it will give the birds somewhere to sit.”